The extensive independent Review of
Regulation on Cosmetic Interventions led by
Sir Bruce Keogh (which issued its report
earlier this year) highlighted problems within
the nonsurgical cosmetic sector and
called for urgent development of an
accredited training framework by Health
Education England. The recommendations of
the Review were welcomed by specialist
professional groups who emphasise patient
and public safety must be put ahead of
commercial interests. They continue to urge
rapid Parliamentary approval in order to take
the recommendations forward and ensure
that proficient implementation and improved
patient care is in place – but in the
meantime, the public remain at risk.
Dr Nick Lowe, President of BCDG states:
‘I was extremely disappointed to hear of
the content of The Apprentice. The
irresponsible promotion of a physician
who is only just out of medical school
and not trained in a relevant speciality,
such as Dermatology or Plastic Surgery,
entirely runs against the importance of
public safety.’
Prof Chris Bunker, President of the British
Association of Dermatologists states;
“We are seeing more and more
complications at the hands of
inadequately trained practitioners and
counterfeit products. These adverse
events can be permanent and liferuining, and there are even reports of
blindness being caused by inappropriate
injection of fillers. Many patients require
continued treatment and support on the
NHS.”
According to Rajiv Grover, consultant plastic
surgeon and BAAPS President;
“What this debate needs is a strong
injection of common sense – if Dr. Leah
Totton were training to be a GP she
would not be able to work unsupervised
for another four years after qualifying.
Yet in the private sector she is setting
herself up to train others. Having a stab
at running a business shouldn’t be taken
literally.”
Mr Graeme Perks, President of the British
Association of Plastic Reconstructive and
Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) says;
“At a time when all professionals are
collaborating with Sir Bruce Keogh to
improve cosmetic surgery practice and
protect the vulnerable, it is a concern
that a very junior doctor can make
claims to be an authority in this field
and provide the direction and clinical
judgement that only comes with
experience. The results of BBC
Apprentice provide yet another
demonstration of why Parliament must
act fast.”
According to Dr. Tamara Griffiths,
dermatology representative on the European
Committee for Standardisation (CEN) which
has been developing EU-wide standards for
cosmetic surgery;
“Dr Totton is a very junior doctor and
her claim to be an expert in the field of
cosmetic procedures may not measure
up to the review by the European
Committee for Standardisation, where
international consensus has been
reached regarding the imperative of
adequate and accredited training.”
*The Twitter storm rages on…
Dr Ellie Cannon @Dr_Ellie17 Jul
Disappointed an expert in his field chose an
"expert" in her field who's been qualified as a
doctor for under two years @bbcapprentice
Sue Ibrahim @SkinSpecialist17 Jul
@DrLeahTotton @Consulting_Room @Lord_S
ugar Just get some dermatology experience
before you claim to be an "expert" Leah.
James McDiarmid @woodestate17
Jul (Plastic surgeon)
@Lord_Sugar best of luck in the hypersaturated unregulated nonsurgical aesthetic 'industry' it's not as easy
as Dr Leah thinks...
Dr Christian Jessen @DoctorChristian19h
I wonder if you know that there was a recent
case of a patient rendered completely blind
in one eye after having facial fillers...?
Dr Christian Jessen @DoctorChristian19h
Alan Sugar has certainly not done patient
safety and medical aesthetics any favours by
promoting very junior doc 2 run Botox/filler
clinics!
Nigel Poole @NigelPooleQC1h
The irony. Key to raising standards in
cosmetic procedures industry is to put an
Apprentice in
chargehttp://nigelpooleqc.blogspot.co.uk/20
13/07/should-apprentice-runcosmetic.html …
Nigel Mercer @NigelMercer22h (Plastic
surgeon, former BAAPS President)
@JAestheticNurse @bbcapprentice If Lord
Sugar is interested in regulation of the
Aesthetic Industry he needs to know the
harm he has done.
Nigel Mercer @NigelMercer22h
@JAestheticNurse @bbcapprentice All Europe
agrees his Apprentice is in adequately trained
to be an aesthetic doctor
Nigel Poole @NigelPooleQC21h
Keogh called for ban on giving cosmetic
procedures as competition prizes. BBC gives
cosmetic clinic as prize #ApprenticeFinal
Nigel Mercer @NigelMercer15h
@DrLeahTotton @Lord_Sugar You 2 have
single handed my destroyed all the work we
have done to improve regulation in this
market thro the BSI.
Val Ely@ValEly1 (Principal Lecturer, Head of
NHS CPD, Non-medical Prescribing Lead and
Accreditation of Prior Learning Coordinator)
@DrLeahTotton @Lord_Sugar You have got it
so wrong!...
@Lord_Sugar @curetheNHS Please don't
let Botox doctor Leah be
the apprentice winner. The NHS trained her
for NHS not private practice.
-
The Final Report on the Review of Regulation on
Cosmetic interventions has now been published. The
committee noted a person having a non-surgical cosmetic
intervention has no more protection and redress than
someone buying a ballpoint pen or a toothbrush. Dermal
fillers are a particular cause for concern as anyone can set
themselves up as a practitioner, with no requirement for
knowledge, training or previous experience. Nor are
there sufficient checks in place with regard to product
quality – most dermal fillers have no more controls than a
bottle of floor cleaner. It is the view of the committee
that dermal fillers are a crisis waiting to happen.
Several BAD/BCDG members notabluy Dr Tamara
Griffiths and BAD President Professor Chris Bunker
have worked extremely hard to put forth
dermatologists' viewpoints. It was the pilot and then
extended audit on filler complications which Chris
Bunker presented to the Keogh panel that really
informed their decision to crack down on prescribers
and practitioners. They have also contributed to the
report with the complications Appendices on fillers
and lasers. We hope they have now positioned
dermatologists as the experts who should now, under
HEE, lead the framework for training.